Abu Dhabi, 15 February 2011 – Yas Marina Circuit today announced the names of 10 UAE Nationals who will be given the opportunity to attend the Formula DRIFT Academy. The UAE drivers will be trained by world-class drift experts Michael Essa and Tony Brakiohapa in the art of drift racing and could be selected to display their skills at the Formula DRIFT event at Yas Marina Circuit on 25 February.
The 10 drivers will learn about drift vehicle preparation and setup before taking to the Yas Vehicle Dynamic Area for individual drift technique coaching sessions. Four will then be selected for advanced coaching at the Yas Formula DRIFT circuit alongside a grid full of Formula DRIFT drivers, before demonstrating their art in front of the crowd at the Formula DRIFT event.

Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit, is pleased to offer local drivers this unique opportunity. “We are always looking for local talent in Abu Dhabi to be involved in motorsport,” he said. “This is a great chance to develop our future motorsport stars. Drift racing requires a high level of car control and concentration, and the visiting Formula DRIFT drivers are the ideal people to teach those skills.

Attendees at the Formula DRIFT event will be able to hear a performance from the exclusive Formula DRIFT song, Urban Skills, produced by Brvjnes to celebrate the event. The song will be performed by singer Hisham and is available for free download from the Yas Marina Circuit website and Facebook page.

Tickets to Formula DRIFT at Yas Marina Circuit start from AED 50. Children aged 12 and under are free when accompanied by a General Admission or Premium ticket holder. To book or for more information call 800 YAS (927) or go to www.yasmarinacircuit.ae for details.

Formula DRIFT Drivers: Chris Forsberg (350z), Daijiro Yoshihara (350z), Tanner Foust (Scion tC), Michael Essa (BMW 350R), Mike Whiddett (Mazda RX-8), and Tony Brakohiapa (Ford Mustang) brought there cars, tires, and equipment down to Long Beach as we prepare to load the cars for the long journey to Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which will be held at the end of February.

Long Beach, Calif. – November 18, 2010 – Formula DRIFT Holdings, LLC; operators of the Formula DRIFT Championship and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management; operators of the Yas Marina Circuit have announced a deal to bring the Inaugural Formula DRIFT UAE Invitational Competition to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on February 25, 2011.

“The partnership with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management is a perfect fit to introduce the Formula DRIFT UAE Invitational Competition,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “Even though drifting has been to the UAE before, we are excited to bring a world class combination of the world’s most advanced circuit along with the world’s leading drifting series.”

“I am delighted that motorsports fans in Abu Dhabi and the UAE will get to experience the spectacle of Formula DRIFT at Yas,” said Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit. “Drifting will add a new dimension to the range of motorsports offered here and I believe it will attract a large following, just as drag racing has.”

Eight of the top drivers and cars from Formula DRIFT, will showcase world class drifting in competition format to the Persian Gulf region. The 8 drivers include 2-time Formula DRIFT champion and 3-time X-Games Gold Medalist Tanner Foust, 2010 Formula DRIFT rookie of the year and past Scandinavian champion, Fredric Aasbo, 2009 Formula DRIFT champion, Chris Forsberg, Darren McNamara, Ryan Tuerck, and Daijiro Yoshihara. The final two drivers will be announced at a later date.

As the premier professional drifting championship in North America, Formula DRIFT has helped bring drifting around world including South America, South East Asia, and now the Middle East. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com